Going to CERN?

Before Everything

This article assumes that you have, at a minimum, a CERN Computing account. If you do not, consult with a PI (Principal Investigator), and they will guide you on how to begin this process.

What will you need

If you plan to physically go to CERN, there are a couple of things to take care of before packing your bag and booking your plane ticket. Ensuring these items are in order before your arrival will hopefully mitigate any issues you may encounter. We recommend completing these tasks in this order:

• Passport: It may seem obvious, but a valid passport is necessary to enter another country. If you do not have one, start this process immediately, as it can take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks on average to obtain a new passport.

• Invitation Letter: If you plan to work at CERN, such as taking beam operating shifts, you will need an invitation letter. This letter is required to show to the Swiss/French Consulate as proof that CERN is inviting you to the country for employment. To obtain a CERN invitation letter, visit the  US CMS  Project Office Invitation Letter website: 

  1. 1. Select the appropriate time frame and visa option that fits your stay.

     2. Fill out all the relevant information.

     3. Submit the form and you should receive a confirmation email.

     4. Someone from the CMS Secretariat will contact you via email with additional instructions. 

     5. You will also eventually need a Home Institution Deceleration (HID) form. Which is another type of letter but that verifies you are from UT. To obtain an HID form, email this file to front office (Showni as of March 2024). 

• Getting a Visa: Depending on the type of work you are doing, you may or may not need a visa. Consult with your PI to determine the type of visa you will need. Obtaining a visa can be a lengthy process, so start as soon as you receive the invitation letter from CERN. The recommended path for acquiring a visa is through the Swiss Consulate located in Atlanta, Georgia. To begin:

  1. 1. All visa appointments for a Schengen visa (type C) can be booked online. Visit the Swiss visa appointment page to get started. 

     2. Follow the steps on the website and have a scanned PDF of your passport ready, as the application will require it. 

     3. After submitting the application, await an email from the Swiss Consulate  with additional instructions.

     4. You will eventually need to go to the Atlanta Consulate for an interview. Ensure you have all the relevant documents with you before arriving, including your invitation letter. All necessary documents should be included in the final email confirming your appointment. If you forget a document, the application will be canceled, and you will need to start the process over, so double-check before the interview.

• Establishing Payment: Certain expenses the Physics and Astronomy department can cover.  As of March 2024 UT uses the Concur Interface and there are two main options you can follow,

• Getting a UT Travel Card: Acquiring a UT travel card is usually the preferred option since there is no direct charge to your personal bank account, and some expenses, like plane tickets, can be expensive. For this, contact the main office, and as of March 2024, talk to Paula to help you initiate the process, which requires some amount of online training. This can be completed in an afternoon. After the training, it takes about two weeks for your travel card to arrive. Follow the instructions on the card to activate it.

• Reimbursement: You can pay for the majority of the trip yourself if you wish. The department has the ability to refund certain expenses if they are related to travel and are research-related.  Contact the front office for more detail if you wish to use this method. 

• Housing: CERN has two main hostels. One is on the Swiss border where the main CERN campus is located, and the other is on the French border, further away (approximately a 10-minute bus ride). To book a room, visit the CERN hostel booking portal. If you cannot book a room using the interface, read the fine print at the bottom of the page, which provides instructions on alternative options.One that usually works is filling out this form. 

  1. 1. You can use your travel card to pay for the room if it does not exceed 5,000 USD. If it does exceed the 5000 limit, contact the  front office on options you can take. 

     2. You should receive a housing request submission email as well as a detailed confirmation email on your stay.

• Becoming a USER: If you are not already a USER at CERN/CMS you will need to become one before you leave.  The team leaders of the UTK CMS Group, currently Dr. Stefan Spanier and Dr. Tova Holmes, have to initiate your user registration using the Pre-Registration Tool (PRT).  Here is the general procedure:

  1. 1. For them to initiate the process they should fill out the relevant information pertaining to them and/or the group.

     2. Remind them to Save and Share the file with you. To do this, there is an email prompt at near the bottom of the form where your email should be entered. Then, in the top right of the page there should be a "Save and Share" icon. 

     3. Confirm you received an email from CERN Users' Office and follow the instructions to complete the process. 

• If you have additional issues: If this is your first time going to CERN, it may be confusing. If you encounter additional issues, we recommend first contacting the CMS Secretariat. These individuals are onsite at CERN and are extremely helpful. They can answer 99% of all questions or help you resolve any issues you have. If they are unable to assist you, contact a fellow student who has been to CERN. There is a dedicated Geneva channel on our group slack where you can ask questions related to getting to CERN; someone might have been in a similar situation before. Finally, contact a PI, and they can at least tell you whom to ask or give you advice.

Finally

Safe travels, and don't forget to enjoy the experience! After all, you're headed to the largest particle collider on Earth, which is truly amazing. Best of luck at CERN!